Spot-fixing: Sharjeel Khan timely informed PCB of his meeting with suspected bookie, says counsel

Karachi: Discarded batsman Sharjeel Khan`s counsel has told the Anti-Corruption Tribunal---probing the Pakistan Super League (PSL) spot-fixing scandal---that his client had timely informed the relevant authority of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) about his meeting with a bookie.

On the second day of the day-to-day hearing on Tuesday, Sharjeel`s lawyer Sheghan Ijaz also informed the tribunal that playing dot balls was not a crime but part of the game.

"We are quite satisfied with today`s progress and our stance is clear. It is also not a crime to meet any person on the request of another cricketer," the Dawn quoted him as saying while talking with the media.

Ijaz further said that the Islamabad United player had met a friend of his fellow player on the afternoon of the first game of the second edition of the PSL.

Sharjeel`s counsel added during the hearing they also cross-examined ACU`s head retired Colonel Azam.

Meanwhile, PCB`s attorney Tafazzul Rizvi refused to comment on the issue which was already being examined by the Anti-corruption Tribunal.

Rizvi also revealed that the conversations between the players, which had been recorded on WhatsApp, were produced before the tribunal.

Earlier on March 6, a three-member tribunal was formed by the PCB to investigate the spot-fixing case allegedly involving Sharjeel and Khalid Latif.

The duo was suspended by the PCB under its Anti-Corruption Code, as part of an ongoing investigation into an international syndicate which was believed to corrupt the second edition of the PSL.

Both the cricketers, who play for Islamabad United franchise in the PSL, formally recorded their statements on February 18 before the anti-corruption unit of the cricket board.

The British Police have arrested three suspects in connection with the case including Nasir Jamshed, who was released on bail.